So Young, So High (Angel Instincts)
by WistalaJizara279511
Summary: Anyone who qualifies for need of an Angel can own an Angel. Castiel is an Angel caretaker for Anna Tronten's daughters, Faith and Melody. He believes he will never find anyone he cares about more than those little girls. But an unfortunate accident changes all of that in a heartbeat. AU, Angel!Cas, Angel!Winchesters, Destiel, Sabriel. Maybe Balcifer. Rating expected to change.
1. Something's off about today

Hey guys! So this story came to me in the middle of writing a _different_ AU, **Devil's Trap,** and I somehow finished this one while in the middle of that. But anyway, this is an AU as well, and my Beta, ArtfullyCriminal, thought it was brilliant when I told her what I wanted to do with it. And when I let her read this chapter, she pointed out that _no one_ will ever be immune to Cas popping up out of nowhere, which was hilarious because I hadn't even realized I had done it. xD On to other things, please enjoy and tell me what you think!

Wisty

* * *

"Cath! Cath ith here, Mel! Yaay, Cath ith here! Hey, Cath, can we make cookieth thith time, but not thothe groth nut oneth like Grandma Joy maketh? Oh and look! I lotht my front teeth tho that'th why I'm talking funny but I can feel the new oneth growing in and it'th really weird and-" '_Ah, little Faith. Always a bundle of energy.'_ Castiel thought with a smile, kneeling down to pick up his charge as he walked to greet his Lady and her family.

His Lady saw him after her daughter had squealed that he was there, giving him a smile which he gladly returned.

"Lady Anna. I suppose your vacation went well?" She rolled her eyes at the 'Lady Anna' part. She had tried to get him to stop calling her that ever since he had first arrived almost five years ago.

He had been the Angel of an elderly widow then, and when the woman had decided that her estate was too much for her and her two Angels to keep up with, she had given Castiel and his older brother, Gabriel, to families who needed them. It had been painful to say goodbye to her, since she had bought him as a fledgling and he had grown in her home. But that was fifty years ago, and the couple had aged, the husband dying at sixty-five due to an aneurism. Castiel still received letters from her, and whenever his current family didn't need him, they allowed him to go visit her in the nursing home she resided in. He was happy that Anna and Jackson understood his wish to visit, and he always did his best to return his gratitude.

"Yes, Castiel, our vacation was excellent. I know the girls had tons of fun, didn't you?" And with that, Faith started talking a mile a minute again, telling him about their vacation and all the things they did and the characters they saw. She kept this up until he was tucking her into bed, mumbling about how Mickey Mouse had given her a special balloon for the third time.

"Goodnight, Faith. Have sweet dreams. I'll see you in the morning." He kissed her temple, and exited the room, slowly closing the door behind him. He turned and walked towards the kitchen, seeing the light was still on. Inside he found Anna sitting at the table, a form in front of her. Since Castiel is an Angel and his senses are more heightened than a human's, he could see what was on the document, and what Anna had written.

* * *

_**Orange River Elementary School**_

_**Angel Visitation Form**_

_Dear parent/guardian,_

_We are pleased to announce that __**Tuesday, November 16**__**th**__is our annual __**Bring Your Angel to School Day**__. Students from grades 1-5 will be allowed to bring their family Angel with them to school on this day. The Angel will be allowed to stay in the classroom of their assigned child, and may be allowed to visit teachers for an update on their child's ability in class._

_For the safety of the children, staff, and the Angels themselves, we ask that you fill out this form completely. We will be separating the Dominant and Submissive Angels for lunches, regardless of Mating status, for everyone's safety and well-being._

_Please have your child return this form to their teacher by __**Tuesday, November 2**__**nd**__.__Angels may bring a pre-prepared lunch with them that follows with our Food Allergy Policy._

_Sincerely,_

_Ken Osland_

_Principal_

_**Name:**_ Castiel

_**Category:**_ Submissive

_**Mating Status:**_ Unmated

_**Wing Color:**_ Black

_**Hair Color:**_ Black

_**Eye Color:**_ Blue

_**Assigned Child:**_ Faith Madison Tronten

_**PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM BY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2**__**ND**_

* * *

"Does Faith know this is coming up?" Anna jumped, whirling her head around to find Castiel in the doorway.

"Cas! Oh, you scared me. But no, she doesn't know yet. This form was sent out the Friday that we left for our vacation, so I didn't know about it until I looked in her backpack for any late homework. It's due this Tuesday, so I'm sending it with her tomorrow. You don't mind going, do you? I know Faith will beg and plead until you agree." Anna always asked for Castiel's opinion, no matter what it was, and he appreciated that kindness, knowing that there were other Angels out there with Masters that weren't so kind.

Castiel shook his head. "No, I don't mind going. It will be the first time I've been to the school, so Faith will be able to tell me about it, which I'm sure she will enjoy to no end." He chuckled, imagining how the little girl would pull him along by his arm, point out every detail of the building and tell him which room was which, and who was who.

"Yeah, she'll be so excited that you may have to hold her down to get her to go to sleep." She laughed because it was true. Whenever Faith gets excited about something, she almost refuses to sleep, and it usually ends with Castiel holding her in her bed and calming her with nonsensical trills and purrs in his True Voice, loud enough to be heard by the girl, but not loud enough to cause any damage.

Most humans will have their Angel's vocal chords clipped while they are still fledglings, but Castiel's family had never seen the need since he was a quiet child, never making any unnecessary noise unless he and Gabriel started playing. They never told him to ignore his instincts, either, and after Castiel had sensed that something was wrong one night, they trusted his judgment. He had told them that something felt _off_, that they weren't _safe_, so they had locked and bolted every window and door that night, even putting up the warded steel plates in the windowsills. The next morning, they went outside to find deep gouges in the doors, blood from chicken and sheep carcasses from the neighbor's farm on the walls, the smell of death hanging heavy in the air. It had been a werewolf, mad from disease and anger. They never ignored him when he said he had a feeling after that day.

"Yes, that may be. Or, she'll try to be clever and see if she can sneak into my nest again." Castiel laughed, remembering the first time she had tried and gotten caught by her father.

Anna shook her head. "Yeah. Well, go on and head out to bed, Cas. Those girls are going to be a handful tomorrow." Castiel nodded, heading towards the patio door at the other end of the room.

"Goodnight, Lady Anna."

"Goodnight, Cas."

* * *

_**2 weeks and 1 day time skip**_

* * *

"Come on, Faith. Hold still so I can fix your hair." The seven year old was squirming like a fish out of water in Castiel's lap. He was trying to pull her hair into pigtails like she wanted, but she was talking nonstop, trying to tell him what was going to happen in class today.

It's Angel Visitation Day at Faith's school, and Castiel was going along with Faith on the school bus, since both cars had been taken by both Jackson and Anna, having to be at work at five-thirty and having an early meeting at six, respectively. Faith had also _insisted_, of course. Jackson had taken Melody to the daycare already, so all Castiel had to do was get Faith dressed and be outside with her in twenty minutes. And he _still_ had to fix their lunches!

"Faith, if you don't hold still, I won't be able to fix our lunches and we'll be late for the bus, which means that I won't be able to go to school with you and you won't be able to show me everything." The audible click of her small teeth told him he had said the right thing. He smiled to himself, running the brush through her copper hair, pulling half to the side and securing it with a hair tie. "All right, now go brush your teeth and be quick about it! Go on!" He patted her back as she ran out of her door and across the hallway to the bathroom. As she was there, Castiel went downstairs and into the kitchen, and he quickly put together some sandwiches, some fruit, and a few vegetables.

A few minutes later, Faith came running into the kitchen. "Come on, Cas! Maybe Gabe is gonna be there with Stella! I want you guys to do that funny game for the teacher!" She began to tug at his slacks, eager to leave. Castiel laughed as he put their lunches in a messenger bag and put it over his shoulder, carefully avoiding pulling any feathers.

"All right, all right, let's go then!" He grabbed her hand and they both ran to the front door, his wings flaring slightly in excitement. They only stopped long enough outside for Castiel to lock the door after he set the alarm, and then they were sprinting down the drive to the street, laughing and racing each other to the end. Castiel was _obviously_ outrun by the girl, and when they reached the street, the yellow school bus was just pulling up. The doors opened and Castiel ushered Faith up the steps, smiling to the driver as he got on.

"Accompanying a child for Visitation Day?" The man was obviously aged, given the way he sounded irritated by asking the question. Castiel first glanced to the other occupants of the bus, mostly children of varying ages, but there were also a few Angels scattered about, then to the nametag pinned to his shirt. '_Rufus'._ He looked back to the man, Rufus, and smiled.

"Yes, sir." The man reached forward and pulled out a clipboard from a small compartment. Castiel could read names and streets on the paper. It seemed that Rufus had to keep a record of the children that boarded with Angels, and the Angels themselves.

"Wha's your name and your kid's name?" He asked as he wrote down their address, pausing to wait for Castiel to tell him their names.

"My name is Castiel, and my charge is Miss Faith Tronten." Rufus scratched the pencil against the paper.

"A'right, go sit down, we'll be at the school in fift'en minutes. Once you enter the school, there's gon' be a table off to the side. Go ov' there and sign in wit' the people, then they gon' give you some papers. You got that?" He looked at Castiel with a frown, probably irritated at having to say it so many times.

Castiel nodded. "I understand, Sir. Thank you." He turned to walk down the aisle between the seats, tucking his wings close so not to hit any of the children accidentally, spotting Faith near a familiar set of golden brown wings.

"Cassie! How have you been, little bro?! It seems that Stella and Faith have the same class, so we'll be seeing each other all day!" Gabriel did his signature smirk, whispering something to the girl at his side, Stella, his own charge. She got up and sat with Faith in the seat in front of Gabriel, who was sitting near the back, which is where most of the Angels were. Once she was safely seated, Gabriel pat the seat next to him in invitation for Castiel to sit with him.

He sat down gingerly, adjusting his wings so they weren't being crushed by the seatback. Gabriel leaned over to him, brushing his wing against Castiel's in greeting.

"Cas, these guys across from us look out for Ben Singer, that little boy the girls are always talking about whenever they're together." He nodded his head to two Angels in the seat across from them. They were both dominant Angels, that was _obvious_.

The one closest to them had long brown hair, yet he somehow made it seem masculine, with large, blackish green wings and he just looked _tall_. He was well muscled, as all dominants are, and he had strong features, but he just seemed…peaceful, somehow. When he heard Gabriel say Ben's name, he looked over at them, and Castiel saw that he had warm brown eyes. The dominant next to him, though, seemed like his polar opposite.

He was leaning his head against the window pane, perfectly still. His great, cobalt blue wings were still as well, a hard feat to do on a moving vehicle. His hair was a light brown, and short, unlike his counterpart's, and he had strong features, too, but his were just…sharper, he supposed. He was also a little more muscled than the other one, as well, but he seemed shorter. But something about him was intriguing to Castiel, and he couldn't figure out why.

When Castiel glanced to the green winged Angel, he smirked and shook his head. Castiel looked back to the other Angel. _'So, not asleep, then. What are you doing, pretending to sleep, when there's nothing wrong…aaahh, so that's it. You feel it, too.'_

"So you feel it, too? That something's wrong?" Castiel whispered, not wanting any of the children to overhear, yet he knew all of the other Angels could hear him just as well. He felt Gabriel tense beside him. He knew that when Castiel had a bad feeling, you better do as he says.

The one he was talking to lifted his head, turning his face towards Castiel and opening his eyes. His eyes were like emeralds in sunlight, and when that brilliant green met cerulean blue, he stared for a moment before nodding.

"I've told Ben to stay close to us. Last time I felt it, his… Nevermind." His voice was deep, and Castiel felt a thrill from it rush down his spine. _'Stop it.'_ The other Angels around them stopped talking, listening. Not many listen to their instincts, or just didn't get a feeling at all, and walked oblivious into danger, so when they hear another speak of danger from a feeling, they listen to the Angel.

Castiel nodded his agreement. "I'm going to tell Faith the same. I saved my family from being slaughtered in their sleep by a werewolf when I had the feeling last. Gabriel can vouch for me on it." When Castiel looked to his brother, Gabriel gave a sad smile and bowed his head in acknowledgment. "And I suggest you all do the same. Tell your charges to stay close, and always be on alert." A murmur of understanding happened around them.

Castiel turned back to the two dominants. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I ever introduced myself. My name is Castiel, and you've already met my older brother, Gabriel. May I ask your names?"

The green feathered one spoke, kindly tucking his wings to him in a gesture of peace. "My name is Sam, and moody over here is my older brother, Dean. It's nice to meet you." He elbowed Dean after that, earning a grumbled 'Bitch' from behind.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm Dean, I watch Ben, yadda yadda, nice to meet'cha." Dean settled back into the seat, but not without one last subtle glance at Castiel.

'_Or a subtle glance to my wings?'_ He sighed. '_Why do all dominant Angels seem to obsess over black wings? I know it's rare for pure black, but is it __**really**__ necessary?' _ Gabriel chuckled beside him, and Castiel prayed to whatever god was listening that his brother didn't pick up on his embarrassment.

* * *

So? What do you guys think? Leave me a message, or better yet, a review!

All the best,

Wisty


	2. Premonitions SUCK

**Hi guys! Back with a new one. First off, I've made a few, well...not fan art, but some random pictures and things to go along with the story over on DeviantArt. Name is demonfanatic47, and I will post the pictures that have major spoilers for feels as the feels come.**

**Yes.**

**There WILL be feels.**

**My beta...she says I'm gonna murder people with them. **_BEWARE._

**Secondly, I will post the floor plan for the Tronten household, and (once I'm finished with the damned thing) the hand-drawn picture of the backyard. Yes, I'm getting very involved with this one.**

**And last, but not least, I DID MY RESEARCH. I didn't just say, "Oh, I need drama. Let's put this in because I can." I may be a bitch, but I'm not a heartless one.**

**Anyway, read on!**

* * *

"He's still staring. Why do all the good looking dominants _always_ go for you, Cassie?" Gabriel stood in the line at the school next to Castiel, commenting on Dean's not so subtle staring and pouting about it. They were separated into two lines, dominants and submissives, for the check in process.

"Gabriel, please, stop talking." Castiel heard a 'Hmph' behind him, and could visualize Gabriel's glowering face in his mind's eye. He rolled his eyes at his brother's childish nature. He was next in line, and stepped up to the table, smiling at the woman in front of him.

"Hello. How are you?" The woman looked up, smiling at him. She seemed so kind, yet for as long as Castiel had been there, she hadn't smiled once.

"Honestly? Tired. I wasn't able to sleep very well last night. Just fill in the blank spaces with the required information." She said the last part while handing him a sheet of paper.

"Oh? And why is that, if you don't mind my asking." He grabbed a pen from the small container on the tabletop. She sighed and rubbed her temples with her fingers.

"One of our Angels became severely ill last night, and we had to rush him to the hospital. His mate is with him right now." She took the paper after Castiel had finished filling out all the lines and boxes. "Just put this band around your wrist, and you're all set for the day." She smiled, though the warmth didn't reach her eyes. Castiel clasped her hand and she handed him the aforementioned band, squeezing gently in comfort.

"I believe that he will be treated with the best care. Which hospital did you take him to?" He released her hand, watching as she pressed her hands together.

"We took him to the Endeavor General. Why do you ask?" She gave him a suspicious look, but Castiel could understand. Not everyone thought the Angel Ward of E.G. was the best, but that the city's other hospital, Vista West Memorial Hospital, was _far_ superior in _everything_ just because they had city funding, so hospital bashing was a common instigator of arguments.

"Then he will be in excellent hands. My master, Jackson Tronten, is the chief physician there. He'll make sure that… What is your Angel's name?" As he asked, he could see the suspicion turn to a challenge.

"Lucifer." Castiel gave her a kind smile. Who was he to say something against the complete and utter disrespect some people had for naming their Angels something that would haunt them for their long, long lives?

"He'll make sure that Lucifer is treated well, and he will do his best to help Lucifer get back home with his mate, you, and your children as soon as possible." She opened her mouth to say something, but she was interrupted by a certain seven year old.

"Cas! Come one, the bell's gonna ring soon. We gotta go!" Faith began tugging on his shirt incessantly, and Castiel couldn't resist her. He gave the woman behind the desk an apologetic smile, but she only smiled and waved goodbye as Faith pulled him by his hand to her classroom. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

"I'm sorry, troopers, but we won't be able to go outside and have our recess and Angel Games today. If you look out the window, it looks like it's going to rain. And do you know what would happen if we went outside in the rain and came back indoors?" The teacher, Ms. Welch, was standing near the front of the room. She was in her mid-thirties, with long, dark wavy hair, kind brown eyes, and a motherly look. She was wearing a white sundress with a white and gray embroidered jacket, and black shoes. Castiel only noticed this because he was trying to distract himself. His right wing was aching at the wrist, and he had it tucked close to his back to avoid moving it.

He was trying to be subtle with it, but Gabe took one look at him and marched over, worried expression on his face.

"You gonna be ok? Do you need to get some painkillers from the office?" Castiel shook his head, which pulled his scars and made them start tingling. It was going to be a bad one, he could tell. Gabe frowned, but stepped closer and brushed their wings together.

"You okay, Cas? You look kinda pale." Castiel looked up to see Sam a few feet away, Dean standing just behind him to his right, both wearing concerned expressions. He could see that Sam meant well, and he had the fleeting thought of Sam being the kind of person everyone could go to when they were scared and he would give them a hug. But Dean, he was different. It was like he was there to try and figure out what was bothering Castiel so he could protect him from it however he could. And Castiel had the utterly _**ridiculous**_ urge to go over to Dean and let the man hold him in his arms and wings. Again, it was _**RIDICULOUS**_!

Castiel dipped his chin, lowering his eyes. "Yes, I'm all right. I'll be-" An impossibly bright flash of light filled the room, making everyone inside blink, and as soon as they did, the windows shook and the lights flickered, the ground beneath them vibrating from the sheer volume of the earth shattering roar of thunder above them.

Most of the children screamed and began crying, running to their Angels or Ms. Welch in fear. But Castiel barely noticed, since he was crumpled on the floor, curled into himself with his wings wrapped around him, quaking in terror with rivers of tears already running down his face. He could still see between the gaps in his feathers where they were thin, and he saw another flash of light just before another explosion of thunder shook the very air around him. He tightened his arms around his legs, drawing his wings tighter and squeezing his eyes shut, trying desperately to drown everything out.

He felt someone touch the back of his neck, and he knew it wasn't his brother. Gabriel would have crouched down and wrapped Castiel in his wings, murmuring comforting phrases and humming tuneless songs to distract him. He didn't know who it was, but their touch was far more soothing than anything Gabriel had done and tried, and he leaned into whoever's hand it was despite his mind's protests. Then he felt a small hand stroking the outside of his feathers, which then turned to two, and then three hands. He knew one of the hands was Faith, and he could guess that the second was Stella, judging by the slight hesitance. But the third hand was a child he didn't know.

"It's okay, Cas. Ms. Welch says the storm is moving away really fast, so it'll be gone soon, and then you won't have to be scared anymore."

"Yeah, and Gabe said that if my mommy and daddy say it's ok, we can come over and then we can all play pirates!"

"…I wanna play pirates, too."

Castiel lowered his wings a little, just enough to peer over the edge. He blinked away some tears, and he could see Faith and Stella standing in front of him, but what surprised him was that little Ben was there, too. And Ben was pouting about not being able to play pirates with the girls.

"Then ask your Grandpa Bobby if you can come over with your Angels! Then we can all play pirates and we can have teams! And watch pirate movies after! Oh, can we Cas?! Can we can we can we?!"

"Please Mr. Cas! Pleeeaaase!"

The girls were dead-set on playing pirates together ever since they had seen a portion of Pirates of the Carribean, which they just happened to walk in on Castiel watching in his spare room during a bout of heavy rain and wind when they were supposed to be asleep. He hadn't been happy about it.

"Hey, what's wrong with Ethan? Did he fall asleep?"

"Who's Eth- Oh mighty Father CALL THE NURSE! QUICKLY!" That was Gabriel. Something was _very_ wrong, it had to be to cause him to yell like that.

Castiel quickly raised his head, seeing his brother run to a child on the floor. A child who had started seizing uncontrollably. Castiel quickly forgot about the raging storm outside and his fear, going to his brother's side as fast as he could. But when he stood to go and help, the lights flickered once, twice, and then the room was plunged into shadows, lightning the only illumination every few seconds.

'_Oh no. This is what I was feeling.' _He looked to Ms. Welch, who was tightly gripping the phone at her desk, eyes wide with fear and worry. She saw Castiel looking at her and mouthed two words: _They're out._

Castiel quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, dialing the first number on speed dial. It rang a couple times, but then he suddenly heard a bunch of papers shuffling, and soon after he heard his Master's voice.

"**Cas? Is everything all right?! Where's Faith?**" Jackson was concerned, as he should be.

"Faith is fine, sir. It's a classmate of hers I'm more concerned about right now. He started seizing not even a minute ago, and the power has gone out at the school. The backup generators haven't turned on yet, either, and the phones are down, so we can't get ahold of the nurse. What do we do?" He was speaking quietly so the children that were starting to crowd around wouldn't hear him.

Jackson was quiet on the other end for a second, and then he was speaking again. "**Get the other children and Angels out of the room first. Just into the hallway so the boy isn't crowded when he comes to.**" Castiel quickly placed the phone on his shoulder, turning to the children and Angels.

"Okay, everyone. We're all going to have to go outside into the hall, that way Mr. Gabe and Ms. Welch can wake Ethan up from his nightmare, okay? Come on, let's go. All of the Angels have to go, too." Castiel wore a kind smile for the other children, but once the children weren't looking, it turned into a grim, tightlipped expression. The other Angels all left with the children, except for Sam, Dean, Benjamin, Faith, and Stella.

"Faith, Stella, you girls and Ben all have to leave, too." Stella began to furiously shake her head, causing her blonde curls to bounce around.

"No! I can't! I saw Ethan fall when he fell asleep and I saw him hit his head on the chair! He needs some ice!" Castiel froze, as did the other adults in the room. Slowly, he lifted the phone back to his ear.

"Jackson, we may have a bit of a problem."

* * *

**If anyone can find my giant neon sign hidden in this one, I will love you.**

**And as I said, I did my research. I didn't just make the kid have epilepsy, I toyed around with a lot of ideas to get the Destiel fluff-ball rolling, and this was the least heart-breaking. Believe me, I tried to write the scene that would introduce the main plot, but it hurt too much, so I've postponed that soul-shredder.**

**But tell me what you think! **

**Love you all,**

** Wisty**


	3. Flying High, Falling Low

Hey guys! Back with another one! And I had a few reviews for the last chapter, and I would like to respond to them.

Bornrider2: You'll have to read to find your answer. But thank you for the compliment. :)

TheAngelWithBlackWings99: Yeeeaaah, I had it differently before I posted it, then I read it and thought "Wow, I sound so freaking cliche it hurts." So I changed it around and we got that. x3 But thank you for the kind words, m'dear. I hope you enjoy this one.

AlexandraMills: ...I'm so sorry...but I must put a cyber hellhound into the story...it's the only way to introduce the plot...I'll tell you know, it's not gonna be a smooth, pain-free ride. Please don't hate me when the time comes. TT~TT And thank you for liking the story.

All right, let's get this ball rolling. And before anyone asks, **YES**, I drink the same thing almost every time I go there, and **YES**, I've actually gone there in the middle of the night just because I wanted something sweet. And it was with my older sister that we started this weird tradition of midnight cravings started.

So read on!

* * *

"**What kind of problem? What happened?!**" As Castiel was about to answer his questions, the door to the classroom was thrown open. Everyone turned to see who had come in, but the person was running towards the boy on the floor.

"_**ETHAN!**_" It was the woman whom Castiel had spoken with this morning. She was crying when she looked to everyone one at a time. "What happened?! Did the lights start flickering? Was a child doing it?"

Castiel shook his head quickly, kneeling next to her. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and he thought about how someone had done that not long ago to him when he had been terrified.

"Yes, the lights were flickering, but there was visible flashing from the lightning outside as well. Are lights the trigger for his seizures?" The woman started sobbing, nodding her head as she started stroking Ethan's cheek. He had been turned onto his side to prevent him from choking, and had stopped seizing, but now they had to worry about when he hit his head, if it was true that he did.

Castiel glanced to Gabriel, who had stood and moved away when the woman had charged in. He raised the phone back to his ear. "Sir, Stella says that when the boy collapsed due to his seizure, she saw him hit his head on a chair." The woman froze, turning to meet Castiel's eyes.

"…**Has he stopped seizing?**"

"Yes, a couple of minutes ago, but he hasn't come around yet."

"**How long did it last, from start to finish?**" Castiel looked to the clock, but he hadn't even thought of it. He felt something brush his arm, and he turned his head to find Sam kneeling beside him.

"It was thirty-two seconds." Well, at least he had thought to time the boy's seizure. Castiel nodded his thanks, and Sam gave him a small smile in return before he stood and went back to Dean and the children.

"It lasted thirty-two seconds."

"**And you said he hit his head on a chair before he hit the floor?**"

"Yes, that's what Stella claims to have seen. But he may have hit his head on the tile as well." The floor was made of tile, and the only rug on the floor was in the opposite corner of the room to be sat on while the children watched videos for class.

"**Tell me when he wakes up. If he doesn't start to regain consciousness within the next two minutes, we may have to take drastic measures if the electricity hasn't returned. I've been hearing a few reports of traffic lights being down, and a few wrecks have happened at some intersections near the school. I'm going to call Uriel at dispatch, see if there are any units available that are close enough.** **If there aren't, you're going to have to fly this boy to the ER here, Cas.**"

Castiel was shocked, to say the least. Angels weren't allowed to fly without their owner's permission, and only if the owner has gotten permission from the local police or emergency rescue. As if those rules weren't enough, the Angel also has to be escorted by a minimum of two Angel officers, known as the 'Aerial Enforcement Squad', to the intended destination.

"But that would take too long! And I can't fly in this weather, it's to-" Castiel started to protest, but he was cut off by Jackson before he could get too far into his argument.

"**CASTIEL! Listen to me! The storm and the worst of the rain has blown over, it's mostly just a sprinkle of rain here and there. It will be fine! Besides, don't you remember when I took you for your health test in Cassity and they had you fly around to test your speed? You weren't even pushing yourself and you broke the state aerial speed record for Angels! You can get him here in almost no time. Don't doubt yourself with that. Now I need to call Uriel. I'll call you when I know what's going on.**"

Castiel stayed silent for a few seconds. He had never really liked being told he was extraordinary in any way, not after the werewolf. The news had been trying to claw down his throat for interviews and statements. He had been forced to stay within the manor for two weeks afterwards before it became calm again.

"I understand. Goodbye." He snapped the phone shut, ending the call. He looked to the woman, who was quietly watching him. Castiel then turned to look at Sam and Dean, but found that Dean was talking on the phone with someone at the other end of the room. He could hear pieces of what was being said, but not that much.

"…may need to…Yeah…leave him with…sure he'll be fine with…Bobby, you don't get it, I…I feel…yeah…yeah, I got it…soon…don't forget…" Castiel glanced over to find Sam watching him. The green Angel made a small patting motion in the air, and then looked away to speak with his brother, who was walking back towards them.

"So, what did Bobby say?" Dean gave his brother a soft glare, wings flaring slightly behind him and settling again. Castiel's gaze was immediately drawn to the action, as a cat would a laser.

"He gave us the go-ahead, and said that Ben would be fine staying with Gabriel for a few hours. I'm set to go. You?" Sam dipped his chin, then turned back to Castiel with a kind smile.

"Bobby Singer is our owner, Ben's grandfather. He said it was alright for us to escort you to the hospital if you had to fly him in." He quickly glanced to the clock hanging on the far wall. "Which may be the case. He's been unconscious for too long, he should have started to wake up by now."

Castiel nodded, knowing how dangerous the situation was. Any number of things could have happened when Ethan hit his head. He was shocked out of his thoughts when he felt a tight grip on his arm, finding it to be Ethan's mother.

"Our Angel's names are Lucifer and Balthazar. When you get Ethan to the hospital, tell a nurse that Sarah Blake is his mother and if they admit him, to put him in the same room with Lucifer. God forbid they do, but if it comes to it…" She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, as if she couldn't accept the thought. She opened her eyes and pinned him with a watery stare. "You take care of him until Bal is by his side." She squeezed her hand on Castiel's arm, and then released him.

Castiel's phone started to ring at that moment. He quickly flipped it open, not even looking at the ID.

"**Has he woken up yet?**"

"No. What did Uriel have to say?" Castiel was praying it was the better option of an ambulance. But his prayers seemed to be ignored.

"**He said that all of the dispatch units, including him, are busy at the moment with car wrecks and minor injuries at corporate buildings. You're going to have to fly him to me, Cas. I called Garth at the police station and he said all of the AES Angels that are on duty have been sent out to a few of the officers on location. We can't break the law for this. You'll have to wait for escort.**"

Castiel glanced to the brothers standing next to him. "Sir, do you happen to know Bobby Singer?"

Jackson was quiet for a moment. "**Bobby Singer of Singer Salvage Yard? Yeah, what about the old coot?**"

"What was his job before he started the yard?"

"**Uh, he was the chief of police about five years ago. Why do you- OH SWEET MOTHER MARY! Are his Angels there?! Cas, those two were trained by Bobby and the force! They're honorary AES! They can escort you here!**"

Sam and Dean could hear Jackson's outburst, and they both nodded to Castiel.

"**Get that boy here as soon as you can. Leave NOW, Cas!**" A click was the only indication of the call ending. Castiel quickly closed the phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He gave a determined look to Sarah before gently scooping Ethan into his arms, lifting him from the ground easily. He then turned to Ms. Welch, who had been letting the Angels do what they did best: protect and care for the people around them.

When he looked over to Gabriel, his poor brother was swarmed with children. Stella was perched on his hip, Faith clinging to his leg in a tight grip, and Ben standing at his side with his large hand enveloping the boys'. If the circumstances weren't so serious, Castiel may have cracked a mother hen joke. Gabriel's golden coloring didn't help his situation with it, either.

Castiel then turned and started walking towards the door, feeling the two dominants following him on his flanks, with Dean stepping in front of him to open the door to the hallway. Once the door was opened, Castiel could see an Angel start to herd the children and other Angels away from the door, clearing the hallway for the trio to quickly jog to main entrance. They saw Principal Ken Osland, the school's SRO officer, and other office staff members standing in a group outside of the office with flashlights.

Principal Osland was the first to see them. "What are you doing? Where are you taking that child?!" He stepped forward, putting himself between the Angels and the front entrance. Sam stepped up just then, raising his hands in a placating gesture, yet he stared the man down with a stare that promised rebellion if refused.

"Sir, the flickering lights and lightning flashes triggered his tonic reflex epilepsy, causing him to have a seizure in the classroom when the power went out. He injured himself during that time, and he hasn't regained consciousness since it ended. One of Castiel's owners is the chief physician at E.G. Hospital, and told him to fly Ethan to the hospital as all emergency dispatch vehicles are otherwise occupied around the city. My brother and I belong to Robert Singer, the former chief of police. We're honorary AES, and Bobby has given us permission, along with Garth Fitzgerald, the current police chief, to escort him. Ethan's mother, Ms. Blake, also gave her permission for Castiel to take him. Their family Angels are at E.G. as well, so once we get there, one of them will take over Ethan's care. Now, please move out of our way, sir. We're in a bit of a hurry." Sam immediately stepped forward, causing the much shorter man to stumble in his hurry to get out of the Angel's way.

Castiel hugged Ethan closer to his chest, jogging to keep up with Sam's long-legged stride to the door, and following close behind him outside, only breaking away to run to a section of concrete not covered by the metal awning overhead.

Sam and Dean came to stand on either side of him, and he leveled them with a hard stare. And, as usual when a situation calls for Castiel to be utterly serious, his voice dropped to be lower than his normal tone.

"Keep up."

He would never admit to anyone, and he would take it to the grave the small amount of satisfaction he got from seeing the slight puff of Dean's feathers from arousal.

Which was utterly ridiculous.

* * *

Castiel sat down hard in the uncomfortable plastic chair that resided in the waiting room of the ER at E.G. Hospital. He had just gotten done being briefed by an 'official' AES Angel about his emergency flight through the city. Now it was Dean's turn, and Castiel had been told to wait here in the waiting room for a follow up. (Needless to say, Castiel was exhausted. He needed to ask Jackson if it would be possible to drive over to Cassity so he could work out his wings.)

It had been three hours since they had arrived, a half hour after the AES Angel had arrived for debriefing, and two and a half hours after Castiel had been bear hugged by an emotional submissive Angel named Balthazar. Castiel hadn't seen his mate, Lucifer, but he knew Balthazar's mate must be incredibly patient to handle such a sassy Angel. That he was from an English family originally and had the accent just made the sass sound so much more…_sassy_.

He was startled out of his thoughts when something cold touched his forehead. He jerked back, looking up to find Jackson standing in front of him with a big styrofoam cup in his hand, holding it out to Castiel with a smile.

"I think that since you had to fly here, deal with an interrogation, and be stuck here with me until we can go home, I thought you could use a little pick-me-up." He gently shook the large cup he held. "RT 44 cherry slush with nerds candy and blackberry flavoring. I'm assuming that _this one_ is what you like, right?" Jackson had barely finished speaking when he was quickly hugged (a small, happy chirrup _may_ have slipped out of Castiel's mouth), and then the cup snatched out of his hand.

Castiel had already perched himself back in his chair, blissfully ignorant of the world around him now that he had his 'Angel Crack', as Jackson has taken to calling his drink. It wasn't his fault that Gabriel had come to their house in the middle of the night, wanting something sweet (his supply had run out at his own home) and dragging Castiel along with him to the closest Sonic in the city, and consequently making him addicted to the sweet icy drinks. The flavors had started simply enough: cherry, grape, blue raspberry, lime. But then Gabriel had decided to add nerds to his drink in the order one day, and he was hooked. _Again_. And once again, Gabriel decided to play trickster and told them to add another flavor to Castiel's slush, and _voila_, 'Angel Crack' had come into existence.

Jackson chuckled at his Castiel's antics.

"And Cas." Castiel peeked up at Jackson from under his eyelashes. "Anna and I don't mind if Gabriel and Stella come over to the house this weekend for a sleepover. And one of those Angels that came with you can come, too, if you want. Doesn't Bobby have a grandson that's Faith's age?"

Castiel nodded. "Yes, his name is Ben. Before that storm came through, those three were actually talking about playing pirates together." He didn't mention that they had only started that topic to try to calm him.

Jackson smiled. "Well, that's good to hear. At least they won't argue over games. You can suggest the idea to them when they're done. But for now, I have piles of paperwork to do. I'll see you in a bit, Cas."

Castiel dipped his chin. "If I find out your office here is just as messy as home, I _**WILL**_ go in there and clean it." Jackson froze his steps, before resuming at a brisk pace. Castiel chuckled to himself.

'_Works like a charm._'

* * *

YEEEEESSSSSSSS. I made Bobby ex-police chief, Garth the police chief, Uriel the head of emergency dispatch, and Sarah is a single mom of two.

And just FYI, when I read the part of Jackson realizing what Cas is getting at about knowing Bobby, I can imagine him kinda walking at a quick pace, then stopping in the middle of the hall with a stupid look on his face, then making an expression like he just got jabbed in the side.

If you want to listen to my inspiration for the whole thing, listen to 'So Young So High - Tiesto Remix" by DaDa Life. I also listened to it while I wrote the scene where they leave the school. The drop happened when I wrote Cas's "Keep up." It was perfect.

But tell me what you guys think. You have NO IDEA how happy reviews make me. I'll get an email about it and I'll be smiling like a dork for the rest of the day.

All the love,

Wisty


	4. Spontaneous Me

What's up, guys? Long time, no see. Sorry if some of you were getting impatient waiting for my slow butt to update. The ideas come as fast as they go. But I may be able to start the Sabriel fluff-ball rolling, which you will see at the end. I had about a dozen ideas with it, and my beta couldn't even decide, that's how many there were. xD Musical inspiration for this one was Spontaneous me by Lindsey Stirling. And ArtfullyCriminal and I will be starting a cosplay blog on Tumblr soon. Taking our first 'photoshoot' this weekend. We do genderbend!Winchesters, or as we like to say, we do the Winsisters. I'm Deanna, she's Samantha. I'll update when we have it up and running.

Ready?

Set?

Read like you're running because you scratched the Impala and ate the last piece of pie.

* * *

"Hey, Cas? Can we all make cookies and decorate them?" Faith looked up at him with gray eyes, silently pleading.

Castiel had been putting away clean dishes when she had stepped into the kitchen, arms full of Styrofoam swords, some of Anna's summer scarves, and her collection of pirate hats…and possibly Jackson's watch box from their anniversary a few days ago that he had received.

It had been three days since Angel Visitation Day, and Faith had just gotten home from school an hour ago. Gabriel and Stella were going to come over later for the sleepover that Jackson had suggested, but Castiel hadn't heard from either of the Singer Angels. He was starting to think they wouldn't come, though Sam had said that he wouldn't mind bringing Ben.

He smiled at her. "Well, of course. If we didn't, Gabe may draw on our faces while we sleep if we don't! And we don't want mustaches when we wake up, do we?" She stared at nothing for a second, and then started giggling.

"No! And he'd only draw on _you_ 'cause he's gonna sleep in your nest with you!" She paused for second. "Are Ben and his Angels gonna come, too?" She pouted, her expression looking like a kicked puppy, and Castiel felt his heart begin to break at the sight.

He gave her a gentle smile. "I don't know, chick. I haven't heard from them, but if they can't make it, they'll call to tell us." She huffed a sigh, scuffing at the tile with her small foot.

"Okay…Can you help me with the costumes? I'm about to drop it." She shuffled the objects in her arms for emphasis. Castiel chuckled, closing the washing machine. The phone started to ring in the cradle just then. He picked it up on his way to help Faith, glancing to the caller ID. It was an unknown number, and he answered the call, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder.

"Tronten residence, Castiel speaking." He quickly grabbed a couple swords and scarves from the giant pile in Faith's arms. He shooed her towards the family room. A gruff voice spoke on the phone.

"**Yeah, I'm lookin' for the house Angel. He around**?" The man sounded almost like he was irritated just by talking. Faith had tossed her portion of the toys and scarves onto the couch, and was running back towards the stairs, probably to get more stuff from her room.

"Speaking. May I ask who this is?" Castiel was being polite, but he usually had a short temper with people on the phone. No idea why, but his zen-like patience just flies out the window when there's a phone involved.

"**Name's Bobby. Sam and Dean are my boys. They escorted you to the hospital with a medical a few days ago, right?**" Castiel set his pile down onto the couch with the other toys, adjusting the phone while he straightened.

"Yes, they did. You must be Ben's grandfather." A huff sounded on the other end of the line.

"**Yeah, that's me. Seems they all forgot about your invitation about a sleepover 'til just a few minutes ago. Idjits. They still welcome to join you?**" Castiel couldn't help but laugh at the long-suffering tone Bobby's voice held. It seemed like the brothers did this quite often.

"Of course they're still welcome. But which brother is coming? I think Faith took an instant liking to Sam." Castiel could hear her coming back down the stairs with…oh sweet mercy, did she really dump all of the toys out of that bucket in her room?! Castiel snapped his fingers at her, drawing her attention. He silently pointed to the large plastic bucket, narrowed his eyes and shook his head 'No' a few times. She pouted again, but hung her head and started pulling the bucket back behind her to her room.

"**Yeah, Sam's comin' with Ben. I need Dean to stay here and help me work on some repairs with the cars. Sam ain't much one for cars; he's more suited towards kids and research.**"

Castiel tried to keep his mouth shut, but it's like they say: Curiosity killed the cat. "Research?"

"**Huntin' research. And not the normal huntin', either.**"

"Oh…" Castiel fell silent, not knowing how to respond.

"**I remember hearin' about you, y'know. With the werewolf attack about forty-five years ago.**" And there it was, Castiel's faded fame come back for a spotlight show. "**That was the reason I always told Dean to listen to his gut. Helped him a lot, too. Anyway, Sam and Ben'll be there in about half an hour, tops. And thanks for lettin' them come…Ben don't have that many friends.**"

Castiel gave a small smile despite himself. "It's no problem at all. And thank you for letting them come over. Faith had actually just asked me if they would be coming right before you called. She seemed quite put out when I told her I hadn't heard from you."

"**Hmph. Kids, always willing to make new friends.**" A loud thud sounded from the stairs, followed by a yelp of pain. Castiel whipped his head around to find Faith fumbling to get up from the floor, seeming as if she had just fallen down the stairs. She stood up and looked at him, lip split and bleeding, but she smiled at him in her way of saying 'I'm okay.'

'_Rough and tumble girl, just like her parents._' He sighed. '_And if I didn't know better, I'd say she did it on purpose so she could look like a _real_ pirate._' Castiel turned to the sink and grabbed a cloth from the drawer, turning on the water. Faith came trotting over, having done the routine a thousand times with all three adults (though Anna fusses more).

"That seems to be the case. Ben and Sam don't happen to have any food allergies, do they? Faith wants us all to make cookies, and I don't think Jackson has any EpiPens in the first aid kit." He started dabbing the cloth at Faith's lip, trying not to cause any pain.

"**Nah, they can eat anything you put in front of them, though Sam likes healthy stuff more.** **Anyway, they just left here, so they'll get there in about twenty minutes or so. I really appreciate you lettin' 'em stay. I better let you get back to takin' care of that girl o' yours. You never know what trouble kids can get into in five minutes.**"

Castiel continued to dab at Faith's lip, and let out a sigh. "Tell me about it. And it's no problem. Have a nice day, Mr. Singer."

"**It's Bobby to you, boy.**" Castiel could hear Bobby mumble something after that which sounded suspiciously like** 'Since you're driving **_**him**_** insane.'** He heard a click, and then the phone went dead.

At the same moment, the doorbell rang, and Faith sprang from the kitchen with a shout of 'STELLA!' Castiel let her go, instead going through the family room to the hallway connecting to Anna and Jackson's room, where the laundry room was located. As he returned to the kitchen, he was suddenly gripped in a tight hug from Gabriel, nearly crushing his lungs.

"Urgh! Gabe, crushing!" Castiel managed to croak out. Gabriel loosened his hold, but still held Castiel around his shoulders and wings.

"Sorry, bro. How have you been? Thinking about your big, bad dom Dean?" He cackled at Castiel's blush. "So you have! Anything good? Care to share? Or do I need to get you a copy of a certain book?" Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, enjoying making his brother squirm.

Castiel shrugged out of Gabriel's embrace, walking back to the sink while trying to smooth his feathers back. "I don't need any 'help', Gabriel. And it's natural for me to think of Dean. He helped me with that child."

Gabriel was silent behind him. "Do you remember what Mom and Dad said about how they met?" Castiel was shocked at his brother's question. He froze where he stood, unsure of what to do now.

"Yes. Why?" He could hear Gabriel shuffle behind him, heard a rustle of feathers, meaning that he had wrapped his wings around him for comfort.

"Remember what they said about how they felt the first few days after that? That they thought about each other for days without realizing it…" Castiel exhaled through his nose.

"What's this about, Gabe?" He turned to find Gabriel as he expected, golden wings drawn tight around his shoulders, arms around his waist in a protective stance.

There were few times when his outgoing older brother looked uncertain or self-conscious, but it was usually pretty simple to figure out, and difficult to resolve.

"Well…" Gabriel shifted his eyes to the floor, scuffing at the floor with his shoe. "I was just teasing you 'cause…'cause I wondered if I was the only one…who thought about them…well, one in particular…"

"You think about Sam, don't you?" Castiel said it in his 'soldier voice', as Gabriel called it, when he stated facts as questions.

Gabriel let out a small squeak and cast his wide-eyed gaze to Castiel. "Y-you don't have to be so mean about it!" The younger Angel shrugged.

"I'm not meaning to be, but I will enjoy watching you squirm with discomfort tonight. Sam is coming to stay the night with Ben." He grinned as he saw Gabriel's expression evolve from embarrassment to shock, and settling on panic.

'_Well, this may be quite entertaining, indeed.'_

* * *

So, thoughts? I know you have them, otherwise you wouldn't be making that face. And if the last bit seems forced, it kinda was... And yes I'm picking on Gabe now, but it's only fair since I picked on Cas in the second chapter.

Leave a review or kind message, my lovely people.

Wisty


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